Butterflies
by Jou's Witt E. Combac
Summary: On Indefinite Hiatus. With all that's going on in Joey's life, he could stand to learn from the butterflies. Slash, JxS, puzzleshipping, etc.
1. Prologue

I was in a writer's funk. I'd been trying to write a sequel to The CEO and the Artist, since people have asked me about it. I had come up with a few things, but I thought maybe I needed something to take my mind off the sequel. I still may write it, but for now I'd like to try something a little different. With that in mind, I present for you, Butterflies.

Note: From here on out, the titles do have meanings. Check them out.

Summary: With all that's going on in Joey's life, he could stand to learn from the butterflies.

Pairing: Joey W. and Seto K.

Rating: Probably M (a few strong words, some mild hints at child abuse, and a lemon later on.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, Joey, Seto, Yugi, Yami, or anyone else. Yu-Gi-Oh fans would have hunted me down by now. I do own Lucy.

Prologue

Joey had a lot of thoughts, every day as he walked home from school, but today they seemed to flow endlessly.

He was letting the hard edge of being the infamous school tough guy fall from his face. Once the young man was far enough away from the brutish laughter, he slumped a bit. He slowly walked along the street, sighing as the day began to take its toll on him. It wasn't easy hiding the softer side to himself; it was almost as hard as hiding the bruises on his arms. He looked at a particularly larger one with disdain. That one was going to require some creative excuses or cover-up, especially if he wanted to find someone for this year's senior prom.

_I don't even want to go all that badly, _he thought to himself. Ever since that tragedy with Mai, Joey couldn't bring himself to even want to be with anyone. That bastard's misfire, it had destroyed Joey. Everyone at school saw the darkest side of Joseph Wheeler, and now every person at that high school knew not to cross Joey in a bad mood. Joey's attention had turned to finding the man who had accidently killed his Mai, his ray of sunshine. That had been fruitless, and over the last year, Joey had lightened up considerably.

Unfortunately, his meticulous search had only led to the alienating of all potential dates. Luckily Yugi had offered to set him up with a few girls interested in seeing him. Joey's mouth tugged with a smile as he thought of Yugi. The little tricolored teen was always worried about Joey, and was especially vigilant after Mai's death. Yugi was a good friend to him, and in turn, Joey provided Yugi and his circle with some muscle. Joey couldn't really call the others friends, though. He always drifting, never quite fitting in with anyone. Still, Yugi, and later the star-haired teen's out-of-school, lookalike boyfriend, Yami, welcomed him and Lucy into their arms. They had helped him get back on his feet, and Yami had even offered to look after the little girl.

The smile grew bigger as he thought of sweet Lucy with her big eyes. Joey knew he had to get to his new apartment and home to her. Still, his face darkened as he thought of stopping by his old apartment, where the ghost of his kindhearted father lived, now drunk and angry. For now, he needed to get the last few things.

Joey watched the crumbling building come into his path. He went up the stairs, thinking he'd have to get in and get out and onto the elevator quickly. Today was Thursday, which meant Joey's dad was out cold by now. Joey slipped the emergency key from under the mat, and slid the key in smoothly and quietly. The apartment was littered with bottles. The stench of liquor saturated the whole apartment, and also leaked from the mouth of his sleeping father. As Joey crept past the old man, he shook his head with sad disappointment, knowing he was too far gone for help. He continued to tiptoe until he reached his old room.

Joey quickly shut the door and grabbed as many of his memories as he could, along with the last of his clothes. A few tubes of his best oil paint ended up in the box he found on the floor. The smirk on Joey's face quivered; he couldn't believe his luck. He had just to get the last of his more valuable things when suddenly he heard the sounds of a man stirring.

Joey sighed. _Guess I'm not __**that **__lucky._

He knew the clock was ticking, so he grabbed a few more things and opened the creaky window, getting to the outside and onto fire escape just as his dad burst through the door and sniffed. "Fuck," he muttered as he began to race down the steps.

His dad was close behind. "Dammit, Joey," he slurred loudly. "I just wanted to talk to you, son!" As he looked out the window, he saw, in double vision, his teenage son nearly at the bottom of the stairs on the last level. He growled. "I'll get you next time, you little punk!" He threw the bottle in his hand with surprising accuracy just as Joey got onto the ground. The bottle barely missed him, but a small shard of glass cut Joey's arm as it flew. Joey snarled back at his father. "See if I ever come back, you dumbass alcoholic!"

Joey's dad crawled back into his little drunk cave and didn't put up a fight like he normally did. Joey sighed, thinking he was awfully lucky for getting out of that bind.

He then promptly cursed his luck when he realized he'd have to go back for the rest of his things.

He hung his head and began the walk to Yugi and Yami's little place, where Lucy was. The thoughts of the day swarmed his head. He thought of school, and of his future; he had to take care of Lucy, she depended on him, which meant no college or advancing himself…at least not now. He thought about Lucy, with just Joey to look after her. He thought about his dad, where everything had gone wrong. He thought of Yugi and Yami, and the girls of his schools; oh, how he envied their carefree lives. He especially thought Mai, the first girl he had ever loved. He even had space to think about himself, and how lonely he was.

Life had become hard for Joey. But as he looked at the bright red and black butterfly above him, a little hope glimmered within him. He stopped and watched it with a little smile, following it as flew onto a bush of peculiar blossoming flowers. His head tilted to the side. He had never quite seen a flower like these before. He saw the butterfly spread its wings onto the blue and white rose.

Joey would later have a lot of thoughts about these unconventional roses, that unconventional butterfly, and the unconventional man who saw both of these beauties grow.


	2. Palos Verdes Blue

Joey watched the butterfly, just opening and closing its wings for a few more seconds, when suddenly there was a raspy voice heard.

"Sir, please move along, these are secure grounds," the voice warned over the loudspeaker. Joey hadn't even noticed the speaker and camera above his head. His eyes trailed along the edge of the bush, and he walked as his eyes met with a pair of iron gates, painted white. Between the locking gates, there were two giant golden letters interlocked; they looked like initials. _KM?_ Joey wondered. _Who was KM?_

The voice spoke again, gruffer this time. "Sir, continue to move along." Joey looked at the camera with a little suspicion. He looked for a call button to talk back to the voice. He found the little red button and pushed it. "Yea, I dunno wha' ya mean by secure. Dere's about fifteen holes in ya defense, and I coulda easily broken in," he said haughtily.

There was a sound like the smack of someone's head being reprimanded by a hand. The voice was much more disgruntled when it spoke a moment later. "Beat it, punk," it growled venomously. Joey put down his box and crossed his arms, sending a clear message to the camera. He heard the gruff voice having an argument with somebody, and as it sighed, he picked up the box.

A younger, higher pitched male voice spoke. "Would you mind coming in for a second?" Joey's eyebrows perked as he thought it over. "Gee, I'd, uh, really love to, but I got somewhere I gotta be right now." There was a pause. "Please?" the voice began to plead. "I need to see where you saw these holes, so I can get this taken care of." The shift caused Joey to drop his head, although there was a hint of a smile on his face.

"Sure, kid. I got a minute o' two." There was a squeal of excitement and the gates opened. Joey shook his head and chuckled, walking along the long path to the front door. There were quite a few lovely dragon tapestries, and several more unique flowers unlike any he'd ever seen. The whole front area was lush and Joey realized that whoever lived here had money, and a lot of it.

The door was even painted white with gold doorknobs, and he was a little afraid to touch them. He rapped his knuckles on the door, and almost immediately a very large man came up to him and told him he'd need to search him. Joey eyed him apprehensively, but allowed the man to look through his things in the box and the scanner over his person. The man spoke into a walkie-talkie, quickly saying, "all clear," to the other party.

The doors opened slowly, and there was a short teen, with long dark hair and gray eyes. He could have only been 12 at the most. Still, he carried himself like he was tougher than he looked, despite the excitement and big smile on his face. "Hi," the young man squeaked happily. "I'm Mokuba! Welcome to the Kaiba Mansion!" With that, the kid extended his hand and Joey took it. This Mokuba had a strong grip and shook his hand quickly.

"I'm Joey, Mokuba. Joey Wheeler." Joey tried to be polite and attempted to slow the growth of the smile on his face. Mokuba noted this. "Care to come inside, Joey? I've got snacks," he said as a few men appeared and uncovered plates of finger food. Joey stifled a chuckle, and stepped in. He grabbed a triangle shaped sandwich and looked around.

"Mansion" had been no exaggeration. This place was huge and immaculate, tastefully decorated with gold and white. "Wow," Joey said between bites. "Your home is beautiful." Mokuba's face brightened. "Thank you. It was decorated according to what my mother wanted."

"She has nice taste in things," Joey remarked as he ate another sandwich. Mokuba's face fell. "She _had_ nice taste," he corrected in a whisper. Joey reflexively felt bad for the kid. "I'm sorry, Mokuba."

Mokuba sniffed, but held himself. "No, it's okay. It was what she would have wanted for the house. My brother really stayed true to her vision. I like to think he really built all of this for her and my dad. This is the bigger version of their dream house." The older teen listened, understanding as he ate another triangle. Mokuba seemed to think for a moment before snapping back to reality. "Anyway, I called you in, Joey, because you found flaws with the security system around the mansion."

Joey shook his head, his cheeks full with delicious triangle. "I wasn't bein' critical—" he tried to defend.

Mokuba shook his head in response. "No, I'm glad you said something. Let's take a look, shall we?" Mokuba began walking, and Joey grabbed another handful of triangle sandwiches, following. They quickly came upon a large table with a map of the ground. Joey nearly choked on the sandwich he snacked upon. The property this mansion was on was huge, and he thought the front was big.

Mokuba gestured to the map. "Go ahead and point away." Joey slowly swallowed. He pointed to four corners, calling them sniper vantage points. There were 6 areas that the cameras missed, blind spots of the system. There was a big hole in security just above where the gardens and front door met. And Joey also pointed out that the rose bushes in the front, though having thorns, would not stop a determined assailant.

Mokuba nodded. "As soon as Seto comes in, I'll point these out to him. Thank you so much, Joey." Mokuba reached in his pocket and pulled out a $50 bill and handed it to Joey, who only gawked at it. Mokuba frowned. "What's wrong? Were you expecting more?" Joey shook his head slowly. "I wasn't expecting anything," he whispered, the accent dropping from his voice. Mokuba looked at Joey with confusion, but then he shrugged. "You performed a service for me, so I paid you for it. Keep it," he said as Joey tried to return it.

"Consider it a learning experience for both of us. So. Want to play a video game really fast?" Mokuba's face lit up. Joey had begun to answer when the doors opened and behind him stood a tall, lithe man, though man may have been a stretch. He looked about like a slightly older teenager, although the white-blue pinstriped suit didn't fit his age; he easily could have been 18, like Joey.

Mokuba was the first to break the silence. "Hi, Seto! This is Joey Wheeler. He was showing me some flaws in the security system," he described, giving the older brother some context. "And Joey, this is my big brother, Seto Kaiba."

Neither Joey nor Kaiba showed any sign of movement or acknowledgement. Kaiba's cerulean eyes were locked intensely on Joey's chocolate brown eyes, with no sign of either letting up. Joey couldn't quite tell what had happened, but something was there between the two teens. Joey then felt a vibration in his pocket, and snapped him back to reality. It was from Yami, asking him about Lucy. Joey inwardly cursed; he had forgotten about her.

"Mokuba, I have to go. Here's my number if you need me for anything," he sloppily jotted down the 10 digits "call first and I'll be happy to help." He began walking back toward the door. "Bye Mokuba! Nice meeting you, Mr. Kaiba," he nodded politely to the silent man. The blue eyed man said nothing. Mokuba waved, friendly. He watched Joey grab a few more sandwiches and wave as he ran out and toward east of the mansion.

"I saw the way you looked at him, Seto," Mokuba smirked as the doors closed.

Seto snapped from his thoughts and shrugged. "He certainly is…something, I'll say that much." Mokuba tried not to grin. "I think I'll invite him over tomorrow, around 5…try to be home, big brother. And try to not be so…aloof. It scares people."

Seto shrugged, still unable to shake his mind off the blond teen. "I'll try. No guarantees. I'll go decompress and then we can eat. Had a long day."

Mokuba snorted. "Of course you did. You work at KaibaCorp." Seto's face hid a flicker of a smile. "Go wash your hands, brat. I'll be down in a few minutes." Mokuba started off, shaking his head. When he was alone, Seto's shoulders fell forward a little as he trudged up the stairs. Mokuba was right; there was _something_ about that Joey…he just wasn't sure what.


	3. Western Pygmy Blue

A/N: I remember why I love writing now. I love hearing your feedback, and I'm just gleeful to see the 3 reviews I've gotten. Thank you, guys. :D

Joey wasn't sure why he was running. He felt awkward in the older Kaiba's presence. Something about the way they were standing there, and the way he looked at him…it felt different.

Joey pushed the brunet teen from out of his mind as he came up to Yami and Yugi's apartment. Joey smiled as he thought about little Lucy, spending her days with Yami. He knocked lightly on the door, and Yami came to the door, covered in flour and cocoa powder.

Yami's crimson eyes and eyebrows twitched a little bit, and Joey perked an eyebrow in surprise. "Yami?" he asked slowly. "Is everything okay?" The shorter teen didn't answer, he only stuttered incoherently for a moment. Joey realized Yami was likely in a state of shock; being with Lucy all day could do that to a person. He knew he would need to ask Yami questions slowly and tried not to upset him. "Is Yugi here?" Tami shook his head and was finally able to form words. "Yugi hasn't come home yet…and while I love Lucy, can you PLEASE take her home? She's becoming antsy."

Joey tried not to laugh, but he knew what Yami meant. "If you let me inside, I'll take care of it, Yami." Yami seemed relieved at this, and opened the door to let Joey inside. Joey surveyed the apartment. The flour and cocoa powder wasn't just on Yami; there were traces of the two substances on the walls, and little hand and footprint trails. She left behind incriminating evidence.

Joey sighed and pulled out his wallet, leaving behind the $50 bill he just received from Mokuba on Yami's table. "Lucy! Come on, we have to go home and leave Yami to recover," he called. As he waited, he rubbed Yami's back a little. When Lucy didn't come, Yami led Joey to the middle of the floor, where she laid, fast asleep. Joey picked her up. "Yami, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

For the first time since Joey had gotten there, Yami cracked a smile. "No, it's fine. We just won't try and make cakes any more. Bring her by tomorrow. And take that money! Yugi and I are well off. We don't need—" Joey silenced him. "It's the least I can do, Yami. Thank you for keeping an eye on her." Yami petted her honey blonde curls. "She's a good kid. And it's good practice if Yugi ever decides to…well…you know." Joey smiled. "Well, okay. I'll leave you to try and get back together. Thank you again, Yami."

Yami just kept smiling at Lucy. "It's no problem, Joey. See you tomorrow." And with that, Joey left, carrying the sleeping girl in one arm and his box in the other. Luckily, his own apartment was only a few blocks away from Yami and Yugi's. The odd pair reached Joey's apartment rather quickly, where Joey set down his things and laid Lucy down, kissing her forehead as she continued to sleep.

He left her to sleep in her bed, and Joey sat and took a breather. Today had been a long day for him. It was about 5 pm about now, so he had a few hours. He worked on some homework, and cleaned up a few things. As the clock ticked onward, it was about 7 when Lucy wandered up to where Joey was sitting, rubbing her eyes.

"Hey, sleepyhead," he said sweetly, lifting her onto his lap. "How was your day with Yami?"

Her eyes lit up. "We made cake. And then we danced! It was so fun, Daddy!" Joey smiled. Her violet eyes were glowing with excitement. He chuckled. "Well, how about some dinner? Are you hungry?" She nodded. "Well, how about…some mac and cheese?" She squealed, and Joey laughed, tickling his daughter. "Sounds like a plan. While it's cooking, we'll get you all cleaned up, and then we can draw some pictures."

She gave him a big smile. "Okay." Joey quickly got started on cooking the macaroni and he whisked away little Lucy to run some bath water for her. He chased her back into the kitchen, and kept dinner going while she danced a little in the kitchen, shaking off some of the flour on her. Joey grabbed the little girl by the waist and carried her into the bathroom as she giggled gleefully and dinner began to cool down a bit.

He gave her a quick little bath and they both laughed. Toward the end, she promptly took the washcloth with which Joey had been cleaning her and she demanded to wash herself. "Daddy, I can take care of me! I can clean me!" Joey kept chuckling, watching the little girl try and wash herself.

For a nearly three year old girl, she was fiercely independent. Or, at least she tried to be. Joey kept an eye on her, but part of his mind began to wander. He thought about how much the little girl looked like Mai, and how proud of her little girl she would have been. Joey remembered how strong she had been throughout her pregnancy, and how nothing was going to stop her from bearing little Lucy. He sometimes wished, although in vain, that the girls at school would look past Lucy's cherub cheeks and see him, too. He could always use some help with his fireball of a child.

He came back to reality as a splash of water hit his face. He smirked and gave the eye to the little girl, who was feigning innocence with her hair. Joey, however, recognized that familiar wicked gleam in her dark purple eyes. He picked up the giggling little two-year-old, and dried her off.

The rest of the night went smoothly. Joey watched his little girl daintily pick at her food, and later they drew. Her squiggles were placed on the refrigerator, next to her daddy's. Joey tucked her in later, and as she yawned adorably and snuggled under her purple blanket. Joey stroked her hair as she faintly whispered, "I love you, Daddy." Joey felt the day tumble away. "I love you too, Lucy."

He took a moment to watch her sleep, and then he went to work sketching. His new work was commissioned to a big art dealer across town, a large portrait of a woman's puppy. This one would sell for close to $550; there was enough money to pay rent, and buy a new dress for Lucy. As Joey stood in the kitchen, painting his next piece to be sold, he couldn't help but feel like Lucy had some sort of telepathic powers. In the middle of her squiggles, there was a faint outline of a tiny blue butterfly.


	4. Monarch

A/N: This is will be Joey's last few thoughts about Mai for a while.

Joey rose early the next morning, get himself and Lucy prepared in a rush. He took special care to be sure Lucy was wearing her favorite little blue dress. Joey was relieved as he left Yami's apartment and walked to school. He'd been waiting for Friday all week and was incredibly grateful to see its arrival.

When he got to school, however, things began to go in the opposite direction.

Everyone seemed even more wrapped up in themselves than usual. The picking of a prom king and queen meant preening and plucking a person into the perfect potential monarch. Joey chuckled a bit. He didn't realize that senior prom was such a big deal. The girls began tripping over themselves, all excited and smiling at anyone who passed by. The guys were awkwardly standing next to their girlfriends/potential running mates.

All of the hype about prom made Joey in a reminiscent mood. He remembered with a little smile how excited Mai was to be going to her prom. She had Joey all prepared to be the best date ever, teaching him prom etiquette and making sure he knew how to dress to kill. He walked wistfully from class to class, as memories flooded of his best times with Mai. He missed her…deep in his heart, he knew he always would.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a smiling Yugi pop up. He hugged Joey, even though he only came up to about Joy's chest. "Hey Joey," he chirped brightly. Joey smiled a little and responded in kind. "I saw you from across the room…you seem a little gloomy."

"Yeah, Yug. I guess I do," Joey shrugged. Yugi watched Joey carefully for a moment; Joey knew that Yugi knew. "Still thinking about her hurts, doesn't it?" Yugi murmured gently. Joey barely nodded. "It _is_ okay to be sad about her, Joey. No one would put it past you…you said this was her favorite part of high school?" Joey nodded again. Yugi nodded in response.

"Yes, I know, Yugi. I just miss her a lot. She meant the world to me, you know," Joey's voice was tiny.

Yugi rubbed his friend's back. "I'm sure you meant the world to her, too. She would want you to be happy." Joey took in a deep breath as the class bell rang and ended the school day.

Yugi waited a moment for Joey. "I think you should go to the prom, Joey. It would be a great way to honor her memory. Look, I have to go to the Game Shop this afternoon. I'm sorry I can't stay longer…but I think you should spend some time away from your apartment. You shouldn't be alone right now…I have a friend I can send you over to…" Yugi quickly dialed the number. Joey shook his head in amusement. Once Yugi got talking, he talked for a while, and nonstop.

"Hey, Mokuba! It's Yugi…listen, I have a friend who needs a bit of a pick me up…I know you're really good about that kind of thing. Yes. I can. He's very down at the moment; I'm sure Seto will have nothing to worry about…well, he needs to ease up anyway; he'll have a hernia from being so wound up. No, I wouldn't want to deal with that retaliation!" Joey snickered briefly. "Yes, I know he's Yami's cousin. Yes, Mokuba, I know…I'm sorry if he feels that way. Anyway, I'm sending my friend over. Oh, his name is Joey Wheeler—what do you mean you've already met him?" Yugi turned his big eyed gaze on Joey, who just smiled and shrugged.

"Okay…well then I guess it's all set! He'll be over soon! Thanks, Mokuba!" Yugi hung up, looking a bit annoyed. "You could have said something, Joey."

A little smile popped up on Joey's face as Yugi sighed and walked away.

As Joey followed Yugi out of the building and toward the Mansion, he kept his thoughts away from Mai. Maybe Yugi was right. She would want Joey's happiness, and with that thought, he lifted his head as the Mansion came into view.

He stood before the speaker again, and hid a smirk as the voice on the speaker grumbled. "Oh, great. Can I help you with something?"

"I'm here to see Mokuba," Joey replied. The smirk was beginning to show.

The voice's annoyance audibly grew. "Wheeler, correct?" Joey let the menace in his voice drop in an extension of a truce. "Yes, that's me." The malice on the other end disappeared in kind. Joey smiled a little, thinking of how Lucy would always tell him to follow his own advice and treat people how they wanted to be treated.

The gates opened and Joey ambled in. Mokuba was already there, excited enough for three people. The same guard quickly searched him without a comment. As he was cleared, Joey followed behind a jumpy Mokuba in the hallway. "So, Mokuba," the older teen began, "I didn't realize you knew Yugi."

Mokuba opened a closet door and began searching. "Yeah. Yami is my and Seto's cousin; naturally, when Yami came in proclaiming to have found someone who could love him, we had to meet this extraordinary person. I can remember when I used to think Yami would never find anyone to love. I guess that's rubbed off on Seto a bit. When they were little, Yami and Seto were inseparable. They were very close friends." He kept searching. Joey stepped behind him, a little curious. "And then when you two lost your parents, Seto and Yami were separated?" Mokuba paused, turning and looking Joey in the eye for a moment. "Kinda. I suppose that's all I'm really allowed to say without Seto being around…he feels like people will use information against him."

Joey nodded, silently understanding. Losing parents had to make a person averse to feeling vulnerable again. He could definitely understand. The pair stood in silence for a minute before Mokuba's smile returned. "Umm, can you reach that box? I have some old games that I think you'd like. But Seto torments me sometimes by putting it up there so high."

The blond smiled and slid the box from the shelf into the preteen's hands, who gave a warm grateful smile. "Come on, let's go and check them out!" Joey chuckled as he strove behind the ball of energy. In a moment like this one, Mokuba reminded him of Lucy. Somewhere in his mind, he knew the little girl would find a kindred spirit in this kid. He had already taken a liking to Mokuba.

Before long, hours had ticked by as the two friends had a competitive game round. Joey wasn't all that surprised at the preteen's skill; that sort of thing came with childhood will. Lucy had proven that much. She had only learned a few games, and she was at least four times more adept at them than Joey. He again thought how the two would make fast friends. Suddenly a dark thought overtook Joey's mind. What if the Kaiba brothers looked down on Joey for his little girl? He tried to fight that nagging thought, knowing that the instance would be the end of the budding friendship between himself and the Kaibas; Lucy was a key part of Joey's life.

Joey shook off the thought as the front door opened. Seto Kaiba had arrived, and he did _not_ look too happy to see Joey. Joey felt a nasty, defensive comment rise in his throat, and he was just about to voice it when suddenly the brunet spoke.

"Mokuba? I thought I asked you to tell the cooks to have enough food for our guest and ourselves," he chastised lightly. The comment in Joey's throat died. The brunet had said a very simple sentence and he hadn't even referred to Joey by his name, but yet again Joey felt that connection from when they had met before.

Mokuba smacked his forehead. "I'll go take care of that now." Joey caught the gray eyes as Mokuba walked out of the room. The silent pleading from the blond went unnoticed. As the two teens were left in the room, an uneasy silence settled in as the older Kaiba took in Joey's appearance, surrounded by games. Joey quickly took care to break the hush.

"So…your brother was kind enough to welcome me in again," he offered with a little smile. Kaiba nodded once. "You have a beautiful home." Another nod and a quiet thank you. Joey shifted uncomfortably. "Mokuba said yesterday that you were working when I was here. What do you do for a living, if you don't mind my asking?"

At this there was a spark of interest in the cerulean eyes. "Have you ever heard of Duel Monsters?" Joey nodded. A touch of excitement bubbled to the surface of Kaiba's face, his white suit wrinkling subtly. Joey hid a smile. "I handle all of the technological developments of the Duel Disks and occasionally I do card designs." This time, Joey's smile snuck up on his face. "So you work for KaibaCorp?" A second later, the realization hit him. "Of course! You're _the_ Seto Kaiba. The man behind the name."

A small smile popped up on Kaiba's face. "Yes. That would be me."

"Mr. Kaiba," Joey began again, "have we met before? I mean, before yesterday? I'm almost certain that I know you from somewhere else."

The brunet was about to speak when Mokuba appeared. "We're all set, guys! The cooks have _really_ outdone themselves this time." Mokuba eyed the teens when there was no response, but clearly thought nothing of it as he went on chattering to his brother about all that he and Joey had done. Joey listened absently, suddenly aware of the time. When there was a natural pause, Joey quickly threw in that he needed to leave. When he said it, the brunet's shoulders slumped perceptibly for a moment before he realized what had happened and corrected it.

Joey quickly said a goodbye to Mokuba and was surprised when the short preteen hugged him. "Thank you for coming by, Joey. We really hope to see you again soon." Joey smiled back at him. "We'll make it work, okay? I'll see you later, kid."

As he passed the brunet, his face twitched into a half-smile. "Nice seeing you again, Mr. Kaiba." As the door swung behind the blond, Mokuba got a knowing look, set straight on his brother. "What was that about?" Seto shrugged lightly, fighting and losing to holding back a little smile. "We just chatted, Mokuba. That's all. I'm just going to go change and then I'll be down for dinner. Go wash your hands." Mokuba scurried off as Seto climbed the stairs. While he walked, the brunet couldn't help but wonder who exactly he was trying to convince.

* * *

><p>Joey passed the bushes and smiled at the blue and white roses. When he and Lucy left Yami's apartment, all he could think about how the brunet was disappointed to see him going.<p>

Being the smart little girl she was, Lucy noted Joey's smile. He was playing with her after dinner, and he had done his night of painting, when she brought it up. "You know Daddy, Uncle Yami and I were learning about butterflies today."

"Oh?" he commented as he helped her stack blocks. She nodded. "I learned that when monarch butterflies spread their wings on flowers, they are relaxing after a good day of flying. It's kinda like their way of smiling." Joey smiled. "You learned about that today?" She nodded, stacking more blocks. "I was just thinking that you must have a good day of flying. Your wings are spread real wide, Daddy."

Joey watched his little girl as she stacked more blocks. He shook his head and chuckled. "You're a really smart little girl, Luce." She smiled at him, her bright blush thanking him.


	5. Red Admiral

**JWEC:** I inadvertently lied in my last author note. It's been a while since I updated, I liked this direction, and I figured this would be a good time to take care of this. Enjoy.

The next morning, the light poured in a beam outside Joey's apartment. The warmth and brightness of the beam spread across the room, illuminating Joey and Lucy. Joey yawned and blinked, surveying the scene. All of Lucy's toys were spread out, and the little girl snored quietly in contentment, clutching her blanket. Joey couldn't hide a paternal smile as the blonde curls quivered as she took a breath.

Joey was careful to get off the floor where the pair had slept, taking extra care not to step on anything as he wandered into his room. There, Joey rolled his neck and prepared to shower and clean himself up. He stepped out his clothes and stepped under the shower, letting the heating water run over his skin and hair.

As he cleaned himself and washed his hair absently, Joey thought about how different a week it had been, and how his life had seemingly changed direction. He had met the Kaiba brothers earlier this week, and they both seemed like good people. Mokuba was turning out to be a good kid to unleash his inner child with, especially since both adolescents had to grow up fast. Mokuba's brother Seto seemed like a nice enough, decent man like Joey. And as Joey remembered with a smirk, he also seemed to show some interest in the leggy, chocolate-eyed teen.

Joey stepped out the shower, turning off the water. As his focus shifted back to finishing up and taking care of Lucy, a small part of his mind wandered back to thoughts of the quiet elder Kaiba. Those thoughts remained as he dressed and woke Lucy. The little girl's violet eyes blinked and narrowed to what was a menacing though adorable glare. Joey hid a snicker. "Come on, sleepyhead. Let's have some pancakes. Aren't you hungry?" She grinned, squealing and running full speed toward the kitchen.

One hour and two very happy and full blonds later, Lucy stacked blocks and drew while Joey cleaned up. He kept an eye on her, occasionally meeting her eyes and smiling warmly. As he finished up and watched his young daughter, Joey thought of what his life might be like without her. She was a handful, undoubtedly; but even when Mai had first had found out she was pregnant Joey knew that the baby would be nothing but the best kind of trouble.

"Daddy?" she called from the floor. He smiled, sitting on the floor and helping her stack blocks. "Yes, Lucy?" She paused in her drawing. "Daddy, please. This is serial—seri—" The smile crept up on his face. "Serious?" She smiled and nodded. "Alright, Little Miss Serious. Talk to me." He lifted her and they sat side by side. "Daddy, how come you never talk about my mommy?" Joey turned to look at her. He sighed; he had been dreading this day. Lucy's eyes began to show sadness and the understanding. "Doesn't she love me like you do, Daddy?" Joey's heartstrings tugged. He brought her into his arms, hugging her and patting her pretty golden curls.

"Luciana Celena Wheeler, your mother loved you very much, just like me, and she was so sorry to leave both of us. When your mommy left us, she was so sad to leave. But if you can believe this, your mommy was needed elsewhere more: to take care of all the children without mommies. And that means you too. But you, Lucy, are extra special: she lives inside of you, and inside of me. It'll be more obvious when you get a little bigger, but when you look into the mirror, you'll see her." There was a depth of understanding that Joey was grateful for in Lucy's bright eyes. Finally, she spoke. "Do you ever miss her, Daddy?"

Joey looked at her, fighting back the tears. "Yes. I miss her every day, Lucy. But I don't become all that sad anymore." Her head cocked in confusion. "There's a big part of her that I see a lot, and it makes it easier. I got to keep you, Luce. Since I was lucky enough to love you, I can still love her too." He kissed the little girl's forehead. "And I love you so much, Lucy."

She smiled a little, wiping away a stray tear on her father's face. "I love you too, Daddy." He smiled back at her slowly. "Any more questions, Lucy?" She shook her head. He looked at her again. "How about we go to the park today, munchkin?" She squealed, yanking on his hand and pulling him out the door.

* * *

><p>Mokuba knew this would turn out to be a bad idea. He watched his older brother spread in a <em>terribly<em> awkward position, fast asleep. As the brunet's legs twitched in their respective directions in the air, the dark haired preteen whispered to one of the maids that CEOs should not be allowed to sleep in their offices after a long day. He flicked the ear of his brother, who promptly awoke when his spazzing landed him face to face with the ground. The older Kaiba mumbled into the carpet.

"Good morning to you too, bro." Mokuba swiftly left the room to leave his brother some time to pull himself together. "'You're not in charge around here,' he says," he muttered, getting breakfast before turning to his newest game.

Fifteen minutes later, a very red-faced and angry teen staggered down the stairs. Mokuba sighed. "You should have just told him," he called to the brunet, who blinked in confusion after sitting on the couch. Mokuba continued playing as Seto Kaiba straightened out his sleep-wrinkled light blue shirt. "Mokuba, what on earth are you talking about?"

"Joey," he responded curtly. Seto blushed briefly before silently ordering it to stop trespassing on his face. "That blond that you have over sometimes?" Mokuba nodded once, barely acknowledging his brother. Seto had a moment to recover. "What about him?" Mokuba sighed, setting down the controller and rubbing his temples, eyes closed.

"Seto," he said slowly. _"We've been over this before._ That funny feeling you get around people, like that one you feel around Joey, is called _attraction_." The older teen rolled his eyes. "I'm not attracted to your new friend, Mokie."

"Oh?" Mokuba answered, sardonic wit hidden in his voice. "Then explain why you were sad to see him leave."

"He makes you happier, and I hate to see another human with that capability leave." There was another eye roll, delivered to Mokuba's face.

"Explain why you ran out the room after he left and I said he was nice."

"I had to pee." Mokuba felt a facepalm waiting. "You had to pee? Lame excuse, Seto. Explain why after I mentioned that he could date one of Yugi's friends, since he shouldn't be alone, you choked on the chicken you had been chewing." Seto opened his mouth to answer and found none. "Wha? No comment?" Exactly."

Suddenly there was a reason. "All of Yugi's friends are weird." Mokuba felt a callous smile creep on his face. "Then he can date a KaibaCorp employee."

The ice shards in Seto's blue eyes melted in favor for a brief fire. Mokuba snickered, quickly withdrawing his idea. "Why don't you just tell him, you big dork?"

Seto weighed his words for a long time before responding; even then, there was the smallest amount of vulnerable hesititation. "I'm not sure how to handle it. I don't want him _not_ to like me." Mokuba looked at his brother's face. "Then maybe you need to make him like you too."

Seto sighed. "Life is much easier when you're heartless." Mokuba half squeezed his brother in a one-armed hug. "I think you'll like this a lot more, bro. I don't think you need to worry. Sometimes the chance will come to you. But it certainly never hurts to bring it closer."

Seto sighed again, letting a smile slip onto his face. "When did you get so smart, Mokuba?" The mentioned brother huffed. "Always have been. No one ever notices."

* * *

><p>After a long day of hardcore play, Joey and Lucy came back to the apartment, when she demanded to put to bed promptly following a shared plate of chicken nuggets. After being tucked in, read to for about 5 minutes, and kissed goodnight, the feisty toddler drifted to sleep. Joey yawned, even though it was only about 8:30. He had just changed into tattered, comfy flannel pants and a VERY old Red Eyes shirt when there was a knock on the door. The blond, clearly tired, moved toward the door. "Coming," he called.<p>

He was surprised, when he looked out the peephole, that there was not a person there at all. When he opened the door, what had originally surprised him was still there. An extraordinary red and black butterfly opened its wings, sitting on the bottom of the bud of an equally extraordinary red and black rose. As he lifted the flower gently, the dainty butterfly landed on Joey's shoulder, revealing a note. The tiny insect sat on his shoulder as though to read with him.

"Mr. Wheeler,

I would be humbled if you were to join my brother and I for a movie night this coming Sunday. Please bring a guest of your choice, and we hope to see you tomorrow evening.

-SK"

Joey took in a breath, reminding himself that this invitation was purely social and not at all romantic. As he looked at the butterfly on his shoulder, it took off, flying high toward the moonless, starlit sky. _Not at all romantic,_ Joey thought. As he placed the lovely flower in a nice glass full of water, he had to keep reminding himself of his earlier thoughts; they swirled in his head the way the butterfly flew, unbeknownst to Joey, toward its home in the Kaiba garden. _Not at all…not at all…not at all…_


	6. Green Swallowtail - Part 1

**JWEC: ** This chapter, in the way I had imagined it, would have been the whole thing at once. But I've had this chapter written up to this point for about a week and hit writer's block. So I figured what the best thing to do would be to publish what's here now. I'm trying to get past it and will get back to writing soon. This plotline has frustrated me immensely.

Joey considered himself to be a relatively calm man; having Lucy meant having an even temper when there was crayon all over a painting that had taken _weeks_ to complete and all that could be done was a lot of crying, "_I'm sorry, Daddy,_" and only saying no dessert for that night. Even when Joey had first gone on his quiet rage while grieving, his anger was more of a controlled burn than an unimpeded blaze.

This morning, though, he was in a craze. Lucy had quickly climbed up on the couch and watched cartoons as her father paced around the apartment, saying something about movies and Kaibas. Finally, she offered him her blanket, which he took and sat down. Lucy wandered to Joey's phone, looking for a familiar name.

"Hello?" answered the young, breathless voice on the phone. "Uncle Yugi?" she whispered on the phone.

Yugi immediately responded. "Hi Lucy…is everything okay with your dad?" She nodded before saying yes. "He's gonna be fine later. But I think he needs your help."

"Oh?" Yugi became intrigued. She nodded again. "Daddy's having a romantic crisis like the people on TV. Can you and Uncle Yami come over to help?"

"Of course, sweetie. We'll be over soon, okay?" She smiled brightly. "Okay! Oh, and make sure you stop hugging Uncle Yami first. I'm not sure you can help being so close like that." She hung up to a shocked Yugi, who looked at his sex-crazed, sleeping lover. What had Yami taught that little girl?

About 20 minutes later, there was a knock on the door, which Lucy pushed her slightly catatonic father to answer. Two short men, the taller of the two somewhat grumpy entered as Joey answered the door. "What are you guys doing here?" he asked, out of his state. "Lucy called me and said you were having a 'romantic crisis.'" All three men watched Lucy draw flowers for a moment. Yami finally spoke. "Can we all agree on the fact that the little girl knows too much?" A smile twitched on Joey's face. "She's a really smart one, that little girl. And I am not having a crisis. I may have had a moment of anxiety because Kaiba invited me and a guest to a movie night—"

Yami chose that time to interrupt. "Movie Night?! Oh man…you are _definitely_ going to be on your game tonight. Both mine and Seto's parents decided to date at a Family Movie Night. That's like saying Kaiba sees you as a potential lover _for life_—" Yami was interrupted by a loud smack to the back of his head.

"Yami, go play with Lucy. Now," Yugi growled soundlessly. When Yami tried for a rebuttal, the amethyst eyes began to glower. Coincidentally Yami decided to show Lucy a new way to play with blocks. Yugi facepalmed and muttered about how sometimes hot was not enough. Joey tried hard not to laugh. "Technically speaking, Joey, Yami's right. There is a certain connotation behind the Movie Night. Maybe this could a different moment, though. Maybe Seto just wants to be friends. Still, no reason not to look nice."

"Yugi? Did Yami take you to a Movie Night?" Yugi blushed at Joey's question and the silence was enough of an answer.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Seto Kaiba paced in his bedroom, occasionally sitting down on his bed before getting up to pace more. Mokuba quickly decided that his normally brilliant brother needed help. After calling Yugi, who said he was already helping Joey, Mokuba tried another of Seto's friend-type people. Thankfully, the young man in question picked up on the first ring and said he'd come promptly.<p>

Mokuba was perceptibly relieved when Ryou and his associate Bakura arrived in 15 minutes. "What's the emergency, Mr. Kaiba?" Bakura asked quickly.

"Mokuba," he corrected before continuing. "My brother needs some help, Ryou. You handle this kind of thing all the time, and you guys are old friends. Come on, Ryou…please?"

The smaller white-haired teen looked at himself, then Bakura, then back to Mokuba. "I'll cancel my next appointment. Bakura, you should go upstairs and assess the situation." The soft spoken Ryou sighed. "I hope this isn't taking away too much of your time, Ryou," Mokuba squirmed.

For the first time since his arrival, Ryou smiled. "If it's as bad as you say it is, Mokuba, then your brother is my highest priority right now. People will just have to fall in love by themselves today." Mokuba nodded, grabbing the startled teen in a hug. "Thanks for coming by, Ryou." Deep brown doe eyes warmly smiled back at Mokuba, returning the hug. "Anything for the Kaiba brothers. Besides, this is my job; being a matchmaking image consultant (1) is what I do best."

Bakura returned from upstairs as the two parted. "It's worse than we thought. Poor kid's under his desk." Ryou's head dropped. "Give me a minute to cancel all my appointments for the rest of the day. It's going to be a long day, gentlemen."

* * *

><p>Joey was now much calmer. He'd showered and shaved and preened himself as Yugi answered some of his questions. As Joey foolishly attempted to brush his hair, Yugi told him about safe topics of discussion. "As you already know, Duel Monsters and art is generally okay, and it definitely helps that you're an artist. Seto also likes botany and was really good at Biology, so that's fine. Do your best to stay away from his childhood; he was really sad about it. If he brings it up, just listen and sympathize; I know you can. And of course, you can talk about the movie. He's a movie junkie; he notices cinematic elements and loves the older films, something that you can appreciate."<p>

Joey nodded, deciding to give up on his hair. "How's my hair?" Yugi smiled, ruffling it slightly. "Perfect, Joey. On to wardrobe?" They picked through Joey's nicer things, which he normally wore for presentations. As they narrowed down the choices, Joey asked a quick question. "Who did you bring, Yugi?"

"I brought my friend Ryou; you'd remember him. Had I known Seto was interested in finding someone, I would have brought you, since you hadn't been dating anyone back then." Yugi was very careful not to say Mai's name around his friend, who half-grunted an answer. "I like this green button-down," Yugi commented. "It's a nice bright emerald, and complements your skin nicely. And you can wear this white shirt underneath! Oooh, and wear these jeans with this belt! You're going to look great, Joey!" The blond smiled at his excited friend, and kept that good mood around as Joey became an adult doll.

Joey shook his head some time later when he looked at himself in the mirror. Yugi had dressed him pretty well; the green shirt with undershirt looked nice, and Joey decided to roll up the sleeves for a more inviting look; the jeans made him look even leggier. He had even chosen to wear his nicest casual shoes: black, a kind of cross between a sneaker and an Oxford. His grandfather's silver watch, recently cleaned by Yugi, completed the look. Joey looked his age, and it felt nice to look 17 for once. Lucy had gasped when she saw him. "Daddy, you're pretty!" Even Yami noticed. "Joseph Wheeler, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a different man. And you're glowing!" Yugi inwardly facepalmed. "Thanks, Yami," Joey said awkwardly.

His attention then turned to the purple-eyed girl. "Come with me, little miss." Lucy grabbed her father's hand and they went to her bedroom. Minutes later, the pair came out. Lucy wore a scarlet ribbon tied in a pretty bow in her hair and a matching sweater and black ballet flats. Her tights were a calm gray and flowed seamlessly from her black skirt. Joey's phone vibrated once before picking up and briefly chatting with Mokuba. Seto Kaiba had sent a limo to the apartment complex. Joey shooed everyone out before grabbing a bag of things for Lucy. He stepped into the limo, taking Lucy with him. "Daddy, where are we going?"

Joey waited a moment before answering. "We're going to see a movie with some new friends. And you, Luce, need to be perfectly charming and on your best behavior. Then later we can go get some ice cream." She smiled, pinky promising.

* * *

><p>Further away, Ryou had created a miracle. Seto Kaiba was presentable, his longer hair appropriately brushed. His outfit had been carefully selected by Bakura, opting for an intelligent, bookish look; the navy blue button-down shirt with opened sleeves and khaki slacks looked relaxed. Ryou had added to the outfit frame Seto's card locket, where a small family photo hid behind his prized Blue-Eyes.<p>

Together, Mokuba and Ryou had readied the small theater at the back of the Mansion for a nice Movie Night; this evening would be perfect. Ryou had set up snacks and a room for conversation, and a small table up for drawing. Unknown to the brothers, Ryou knew exactly what to do when Mokuba said that the invitee was Joey Wheeler. He had set up a place for Lucy and decided to let the brothers find out exactly what was in store for them.

"Okay!" Ryou said brightly about 15 minutes before the night was supposed to begin. "Let me take a look to make sure we're ready." He began to survey the areas that Bakura had prepared with lighting and music for easy listening. Many of the maids had been given the evening off; one especially sturdy older woman insisted that she stay in case the boys needed anything cleaned up. The security men had also been sent home, except the guard of whom Joey had begun to grow fond. The gardens had been romantically lit, and the butterflies fluttered about, landing on flowers before swirling back to the night sky.

Ryou could not have asked for a more dating-textbook night to have a movie night. He almost sighed in jealousy, particularly when Bakura came behind Seto, rolling him somewhat roughly, checking for lint. Ryou's heart always swelled and skipped a beat when Bakura was around. It had been quite a while since the dynamic pair had begun work together; all these nights that they planned and executed for other people had Ryou wishing that just once, someone would a plan like this for him.

Mokuba, of course, saw the longing in his friend's eyes. But even as the ideas began to form in his head, he remembered that this evening was about his brother and Joey. The devious preteen remembered his last task to get 3 blankets (the theater always seemed mysteriously get cold and there would need to be cuddling). He also picked up his handheld so he could distract himself when Seto and Joey would theoretically get caught up in the movie.

Everyone grew quiet as Mokuba received that Joey Wheeler and a young lady were on the way back to the Kaiba Mansion. Ryou had to bite his tongue from laughing as the faces of the Kaibas morphed. Seto immediately became a little crestfallen, slouching ever so much. Mokuba's eyes grew with excitement, and he rushed to put his handheld away. Bakura noted the elder Kaiba's face and straightened him out, brushing his shoulders. "Take it as a personal challenge to win him over," Bakura advised. Ryou was literally turning red to avoid laughing.

Everyone got into position as the sound of the car approaching faded into the mix. Seto raised himself up to the power stance he held at meetings; no girl was going to take away _his _possible future love interest. Mokuba, popping in downstairs, adjusted his clothes. Ryou fought a smile. "Call me and let me know how it goes," he whispered to Seto. "Good luck." Seto's eyes widened. "Please don't go yet. We may require your assistance." Ryou and Bakura exchanged a glance.

Bakura shrugged. "I'm free tonight, and I suppose it would be nice to be able to watch a job. What do you say, Ryou?" Ryou's eyes were almost as widen as Yugi's as his heart raced. He then turned to Seto. "We'll watch from a distance, okay?" Seto eased a little. Bakura had a hint of a smile; he took ahold of Ryou's hand and the white haired team slipped out of the room. Bakura hadn't dropped Ryou's hand by the time they had been in position.

Seto took a deep breath as three knocks were heard.

(1) Ever seen Hitch? That's kind of what Ryou's job is; he assists clients in putting together dating atmospheres and sometimes makes romantic matches.


	7. Green Swallowtail - Part 2

**JWEC:** No further ado, I give you Part 2. Note: some more-than-limeish business is implied, if you know what I mean.

Seto felt a faint fluttering in his stomach as he reached for the door. Just as he reached for the door handle, he took a steadying breath. As the door opened, the brunet could sense a faintly unpleasant mix of relief and distress washing over him. Nevertheless, he couldn't hold back a smile when the little blonde in Joey's arm smiled brightly at him.

"Hey," Joey chirped, a little nervous but ultimately relaxed in the brothers' presence. "I hope that bringing this little lady was alright." Seto's glance darted from her face to Joey's for a moment before nodding. "That's perfectly fine." Seto knelt down when Joey dropped Lucy onto the mansion floor. "And who might this little lady be?"

Joey started to responded when Lucy interrupted. "I can introduce myself," she asserted. The chocolate-eyed teen fought a grin and nodded for her to continue. "My name is Luciana Wheeler. This man," she paused to point at Joey "says that I am only 2 but I feel like I'm 3 because I'm mature for my age since I go to school with Uncle Yami. And you are Daddy's new friend. So you may call me Lucy."

Mokuba's jaw dropped but Seto appeared only amusingly surprised and rather impressed. He held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Lucy. I don't know if your _daddy_" he put subtle nuance into the word "told you, but my name is Seto Kaiba. I hope you enjoy yourself this evening. And I might add that your sweater is really nice."

Joey's eyebrows rose and Mokuba appeared to swoon in shock. Lucy giggled, her curls bouncing. "Thank you very much, Mr. Kaiba."

"Seto," he corrected smoothly and with surprising kindness. "You," he held Joey's gaze "should call me Seto." The tension in the air was palpable, and too much for Mokuba to handle, who coughed and held everyone's attention. "Excuse me," he half-muttered, paler than his normally-pasty older brother. "I'll return shortly." He stumbled into the nearest room.

Seto got up to follow him. "Just a moment." He swiftly walked into the same room.

Joey and Lucy shared a glance. "He seems nice, Daddy. I like Seto." A smile twitched on his face. "Yes…he does seem nice. Hopefully he'll like us too, Luce."

Meanwhile, Seto rolled his eyes. "Mokuba, don't you think you're being overly dramatic?" Mokuba glared up at him, clearly offended. "Absolutely not! Seto, he has a daughter and you're being nice to a kid and you went to first name basis and we barely know the guy—"

Seto held up a hand to silence his brother. "Firstly, calm down. I'm sure Joey and Lucy can hear you and you're being rather rude. Secondly, I have an odd feeling about these two…Lucy, for one, is a very bright young woman; you can see it in the way she looks at you. And Joey…" Seto stopped as a very small smile popped on his face, "has a certain aura about him that I really like. I don't know how to explain it, but he draws you in and I want to experience that feeling, being pulled in. With all of that being said, shake off whatever you're feeling and come outside. We have guests, and it's very rude to faint." Mokuba hesitated. Seto gave a slight huff. "May I remind you that you were the one who let him in to begin with? And that Lucy will be a very impressionable and clever playmate?"

Mokuba rolled his eyes and got up with a slight smirk, but internally he was a bit shocked. He had never heard Seto talk about _anyone_ like that before. There must be more to their relationship than he saw. Mokuba stopped him for a moment, and Seto raised an eyebrow. During a moment of hesitation, Joey called to them. "Is everything okay in there?" The brothers shared a glance, Seto's inquisitive eyebrow remaining high on his forehead. Mokuba called back that there was no problem, and his brother's eyes narrowed slightly, clarifying to Mokuba that this conversation would be continued. He followed his little brother out of the room.

Joey and Lucy each smiled brightly. "So," he chirped. "What are we watching tonight?"

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes and several apologies later, everyone had successfully eaten and adjourned to the theater. Joey continued to apologize. "I'm still really sorry about Lucy…I promise she normally doesn't act that way; she's generally been a well-behaved little girl—" Seto chuckled again, lightly touching Joey's nervously twitching arm. "Joey, for the hundredth time, it's fine. Mokuba started the food fight anyway and he's been dying to burn off some childhood energy that neither you nor I can really keep up with. Lucy is a good influence on him." Joey relaxed noticeably, giving a small smile when he noticed Seto hadn't moved his hand from his no longer twitching arm.<p>

Lucy, closer toward the screen, delicately picked a slice of ham from Mokuba's hair. "Those ham sandwiches were really yummy," she whispered excitedly. Mokuba grinned. "I know! And who would have thought they were excellent ammo! They practically soar through the air," he said dreamily. Suddenly the minors were distracted by the quiet sound of hushed chatter behind them. Lucy smiled, which Mokuba noted. "I'm really glad that they like each other," he confided in her. She nodded slightly in agreement. "They could make a really good match if Daddy would just let himself be loved again, even if by Seto," she sighed. Mokuba's eyebrow slowly rose. "What do you mean?" She looked at him for a moment, evaluating. "Daddy doesn't love men. Or, at least he hasn't yet," she carefully revealed. Mokuba's eyes widened before nodding his head in understanding. "But I think Seto can change his mind," she added. The two kids watched for another moment as the adults continued to flirt timidly and exchange light touches. Then Lucy's eyes focused on the screen.

Up in the projection area, Ryou watched on carefully, letting an approving smile creep up on his face as he watched the men below interact. "This is good," he murmured. "They're making good progress." Behind him, Bakura watched the way the light danced on Ryou's hair. As the more slender man in front of him moved with the rhythm of the opening theme (a very pretty piano sonata), Bakura could feel a slight warmth spread through his body. He reached for Ryou, who was a little surprised at his touch. He motioned for the smaller white-haired man to join him. "Let them have a moment without surveillance; he appears to be doing just fine." Ryou blushed slightly and sat back against his seat, close to Bakura. Ryou, having watched this a thousand times, barely let a shiver tremble his small frame. Bakura, very attuned to what was happening, allowed an arm to drift over Ryou's shoulders, who then curled into him.

The movie that the six of them were watching was an older black and white French film. Joey could tell this was one of Seto's old favorites, and stifled a smile when the brunet started nearly inaudibly began speaking the hero's dialogue, and nearly perfectly matched the French. There was plenty of action to keep Lucy and Mokuba interested, and the plotline was easy enough to follow. About thirty minutes into the movie, Lucy looked back up at her father; she barely caught the end of his head tilting back up following a glance in her direction. She turned back and sat for a moment. "Mokuba," she whispered. He almost immediately turned his head. "Maybe we should go play something else," she hinted, gesturing to Joey and Seto behind her. He looked at her for a moment, confused, when she raised her eyebrows twice and then it dawned on him. He nodded in agreement.

She crept up to her father, pulling on Joey's pant leg. "Daddy, Mokuba and I are gonna go play for a while," she whispered. Seto leaned over. "Do you not like the movie?" he asked, a fraction of hurt in his voice. Her eyes widened. "I like it," she reassured him. "The acting is good and I like the plotline." Seto shared a glance with Joey, who only tried to stifle a laugh. "Mokuba is having trouble concentrating, so he asked if we could go color. May I go?" she requested. Joey nodded, smiling and gesturing her off. She waited until Seto had looked away and shared a knowing look with her father, hugging him and barely whispering, "Good luck, Daddy," before releasing him, winking, and running off.

As the little girl ran off, Seto shared a look with Joey. "What on Earth is your secret? I've been trying to get Mokuba to be that well-spoken for years and it seems all in vain." Joey snickered. "I honestly have no idea. I leave her with Yami every day. I think she reads with him. She probably corrects him as he talks." Their eyes held a gaze. "Lucy is having a great time tonight, Seto," Joey revealed quietly, the hint in his smile. Seto returned the same smile, a little wistful. "Mokuba is really glad that Lucy is enjoying the evening. He's been rather lonely, and glad to have a friend like her." Both young adults had a creeping blush, and felt the same slight shiver when Seto carefully grasped Joey's hand.

Ryou watched contently. "The end of the month, I guarantee it," he whispered to Bakura. Bakura's eyes glowed with inspiration. "Hey Ryou," he beckoned quietly. Ryou's fluffy hair whipped marginally as he looked up from Bakura's shoulder to his eyes. "We should go check on the gardens…you know, to make sure they're working." Ryou's gaze dropped to the floor before getting up and offering Bakura his hand. "Let's," he whispered.

As the white-haired teens wandered unnoticeably through the mansion, the teens in the theater were left in a world of their own.

* * *

><p>Bakura was impressed. He hadn't known Seto Kaiba very long, but if he was as good a botanist as this garden implied, the man was certainly talented. The gardens didn't really need to be lit; there was a soft glow that was highlighted by Ryou's careful designs. The taller of the two men watched as his smaller counterpart sat on a bench and sighed. "Isn't it fantastic, Bakura?" Ryou whispered in true awe, the lights reflecting off his chocolate irises. Bakura watched, his eyes never leaving Ryou. "Yeah," he agreed. "It is beautiful, isn't it?" Ryou sighed, nodding. Bakura sat next to him.<p>

"I'm really glad you chose me to work with you, Ryou." He barely spoke above a whisper. Ryou broke away from the sight of the crystal clear sky and looked at his partner, smiling warmly. "I'm very glad too. You're a very reliable person, and offer me a greater range of help so we can help other people find love." There was a pause. "Bakura? Do you hope to fall in love someday?" The two men shared a glance. His eyes unwavering, Bakura answered his boss. "I fell in love a while ago. I've been waiting for the right moment." Ryou shuddered. "I know how that it is…" his voice gradually dropping off and leaning closer toward Bakura. Their faces inched closer, eyes begging for permission, lips a breath away…

Suddenly Mokuba's voice could be heard from Ryou's pocket. Ryou's lips pressed into a tight line, leaning away and getting up to answer the call. "Yes, Mokuba?" The annoyance was very well hidden in Ryou's voice. Bakura's head drooped. The most romantic place in the whole venue and they're interrupted. He pinched the bridge of his nose. He had literally been dying for this moment for several months…and now it was gone. As he looked up, Ryou's face was business as usual. "Duty calls." Ryou cleared his throat briskly. Bakura nodded once, getting up and following his boss.

As the two teens moved into the room Mokuba had frantically called from, there was intense anxiety that Ryou could feel flowing from that room. He began to move a little faster. In the middle of the floor was Mokuba, covered in melted crayon wax and powdered sugar. Every surface of the room was smeared with a thick mixture of sugar and wax. Mokuba shook violently, and Lucy was nowhere to be seen. Bakura felt a twinge of guilt for being upset before; clearly Mokuba really needed their help.

Ryou held that coolness in his voice, though his tone was softer than before. "Tell us what happened, Mokuba." He bent down and petted the preteen's long locks. Bakura admired him in that moment; Ryou was such a gentle creature. Mokuba's voice shook as his body trembled. "I don't even know what happened. At one point I was suggesting we make our own crayon colors and someone brought us doughnuts…literally less than a minute later, this happened…and now Lucy is gone…" Mokuba began hyperventilating. Ryou hushed him instinctively, helping him take deeper breaths. "We have to find her before Joey notices she's gone…" Ryou nodded. "I agree. Bakura and I will find her. You go get cleaned up. We'll handle the mess." Mokuba shivered and left for a shower.

Ryou shook his head. "Just once. Once I would love to get through one of these things without incident." He continued to mutter "once" under his breath. Bakura blinked after watching his boss's annoyance…and found it adorable. He shook it off. "Who's going to clean up the mess?" he asked Ryou. Suddenly the sturdy cleaning lady appeared. "Don't worry. Concentrate on finding the little girl. I'll handle this." The two white-haired men were quick to get out her way, especially with that slightly malicious glint in her eye as she scanned the room. The door closed, and the men were off.

The search for Lucy Wheeler was more of a mystery than a true search. Ryou and Bakura only needed to find the clues to track down the bouncy, energetic little girl. Thankfully, they found her passed out on a guest bed. The two let her sleep, notifying Mokuba, freshly showered. The two of them went down to check on the room silently. When they opened the door, the room was sparkling and spotless, and the cleaning lady had vanished. Bakura twitched slightly. "We were gone 10 minutes," he whispered, incredulous. "Seto Kaiba hires cleaning ninjas," Ryou murmured in amazement.

Once the awe passed, there was only a somewhat uncomfortable silence in the room. Ryou blushed, sharing Bakura's gaze, who began to speak. Both men struggled with words before Ryou nervously chuckled and walked out back toward the movie theater.

* * *

><p>In that theater, the movie had ended and Seto and Joey sat comfortably in the darkness, chatting about art. "So the life of an artist," Seto stated. Joey nodded with a little laugh. "Yep. Days at school, then picking up Lucy, then back home to paint. Life of a BUSY artist." Seto failed to control a laugh. "Thanks for coming to Movie Night, Joey. I enjoyed your presence tonight." Joey blushed a bit. "You're quite welcome, but it really was my pleasure. There was good food and a great movie. And it seemed like one of your favorites."<p>

Seto nodded, embarrassed. "Yes; this is actually my 2nd copy; I burned out the film on the original. It's a classic. I just can't help myself." Joey smiled a little. "No need to apologize." There was a comfortable pause. "Can I take a look at your garden? I've heard you're talented." Seto half-shrugged. "It's more of a hobby." Still, Seto stood, his hand still around Joey's, and led him to the Kaiba Gardens.

"Welcome to my haven," Seto whispered. "This is where I work off stress." Joey was _amazed_. The backyard was twice as lovely as the front yard. There were the sweetest-smelling and prettiest flowers everywhere; the beautiful pond in the center was filled with tropical fish and reflected the stars studded in the fabric of the sky. The whole garden was abuzz with the beating of butterfly wings, filling the air with a mosaic of color. Joey was especially drawn to the rose-bush where his invitation had been plucked. A red and black butterfly landed on the petals. "How…?" Joey stammered, awestruck. Seto shrugged as a bright blue butterfly landed on his shoulder. "I did some tests and created each strain of plant and butterfly here. Just basic strands. It was enjoyable." Joey grinned. "But why?" He asked as the rose bloomed open for a moment to allow the butterfly a place to rest.

"My mother loved butterflies and gardening," he murmured. "She had a great hobby…it makes me feel more human, being so close to her in her hobby. Being a CEO can void a person of his/her emotions." Under the starlight and lit gardens, Joey and Seto sat on a bench, barely touching. Joey took a sharp breath. "I need to go, Seto. I have school in the morning. But thank you for inviting me." He moved quickly, his forearm tugged on by Seto. "I really like you and hope you come here more often. I hope this won't be the last time I see you."

Joey returned the warmth in his host's smile. "I hope so too, Seto." With that, the blue-eyed teen released Joey's emerald sleeve, and they shared a look for another moment before the blond teen disappeared from the lush green into the vast white house. Seto stood out there for a moment, glancing at the sky as his heartbeat slowed. He sighed contently before going into the huge mansion in front of him.

Joey plucked up his sleeping toddler from where she lay on a couch. Seto approached as the blond finished gathering Lucy's various items. "Thanks again for having us," he whispered, smiling a little. Seto returned the smile; it grew slightly as he noticed Joey writing down his cell phone number on a nearby napkin. "Call me if you need a friend for Mokuba…or just to call." The taller man stepped closer to Joey, leaning in even closer. "I'll be sure to." He barely spoke loudly enough to be audible and Joey felt a delicious shiver run down his spine. Their gazes held for another moment, as Joey could feel Seto's sapphire eyes burning a hole through him.

After feeling the burn long enough, Joey allowed Seto to grab the door handle long enough to duck under the larger man's arm and dart out into the darkness, turning back to look only once, though any bystander could feel the intensity of that brief glance back.

Seto leaned against the door frame, finally sighing as Joey and Lucy disappeared into the comfortable darkness of the limo he sent. There was a tiny twitch of a victorious smirk as he went inside and up to find Mokuba. The preteen was sprawled across his bed, only wearing Kuribo pajama pants, the coordinating top nearby with a slightly damp towel. Seto placed his little brother into his bed and under the sheets; he took care to be sure Mokuba would be warm all night. He plucked the towel from the chair over which it hung and folded it over his forearm, hesitating before leaning down to place a soft kiss on Mokuba's forehead. The gray-eyed preteen stirred for a second before falling into another quiet snore.

Seto was careful to be stealthy on his way out, walking briskly and tapping on a metal bar three times before taking care of the towel. As he slipped into a bathroom, Ryou and Bakura re-emerged from their hiding place, each somewhat disheveled.

The two white-haired men crept out through the front door; a faint "thank you" could be heard as they took their exit. After they were out of the door, Bakura turned to Ryou. "It seems pretty late. Maybe you should let me drive you home." Ryou blushed faintly, agreeing before letting Bakura open the car door for him and take him home. As the pair reached Ryou's apartment complex, Bakura could feel his hands begin to sweat; it was just enough to make him very nervous. Ryou turned back to thank him, only to see Bakura's anxiety slipping behind a mask on his face. He leaned closer, to which Bakura leaned closer faster, and their foreheads crashed together. Ryou began to laugh, instantly relieving some of the pressure. Bakura reached out to stroke Ryou's cheek and the laughter diminished to silence as Ryou leaned up to Bakura. Their faces leaned closer, and their lips brushed together.

Ryou leaned into the kiss, letting Bakura do all the work and they only kissed for a few seconds when Ryou began to pull away. Bakura looked with a dark red blush as he realized Ryou was a little dazed. "That was…really nice," he said after a moment. Ryou nodded, before leaning up to attack Bakura's mouth in a VERY intense kiss. Tongues dueled fiercely back and forth between the mouths of the men, and Ryou's lips yielded to the increasingly desperate lips of his counterpart. Each white-haired man could think only of the passionate pit that pooled in the center of his body, and how to get the other closer to that intense heat.

Bakura began to dominate more clearly, a low purr rising from his chest as he pulled Ryou's smaller frame in deeper into an embrace. Finally the older male relinquished control and the pair slowly separated. Ryou's lips were a little red and bruised, but the want in his chocolate-brown eyes was more than clear. "There's been some crime in the neighborhood lately," he murmured softly. Bakura nodded twice, slowly. "I don't really feel safe staying alone tonight…" The red blush on Ryou's face blazed hotly as he became closer toward tomato red. Bakura leaned forward, his forehead gently pressing on Ryou's. In an uncharacteristic moment of charm, he tilted Ryou's head up and held his hopeful, tantalized gaze. "You won't need to worry. I can stay with you as long as you like." Ryou's chest crumpled slightly as he swooned a little, but he composed himself and led the taller man out of the car and into his apartment.

* * *

><p>Seto continued to wander around for a few minutes, trying to keep his thoughts from wandering back to the charming male blond with whom he spent the evening. Joey really was a great date. He was funny and smart; he knew his way around a movie; he obviously dabbled in the arts; he was impressed with the garden…Seto could go on and on about the wonderful qualities Joey had, from his impressive intellect to his clear love of children (since Mokuba was, in fact, still a child). But it was really his demeanor…that spark they had shared, the aura of knowing pain and loss…Seto could not put his finger on it, but the two had been linked somehow, in some way. Though part of that bond was kind of terrifying, Seto couldn't help feel a thrill whenever he thought about that almost spooky connection. It gave him butterflies that would never stop fluttering, that would always leave him waiting for more.<p>

Eventually he made it back to his bedroom. Upon disrobing, Seto found himself smiling a little as he lay across his bed, his hair disarray but feeling like everything was finally falling into place…like everything was beginning to land on the perfect rose. He curled over slightly and began to think back over the evening and its impeccability.

* * *

><p>Not too far away, Joey was tucking in Lucy, feeling similar thoughts begin to creep into his mind. He painted absently for a while, letting his hand do all the work while he thought fondly of Seto Kaiba. He couldn't help but think that this was the first time he truly felt satisfied with anything in a long time…he could feel an inner peace take hold of him.<p>

About an hour later, he climbed into bed, warm in flannel pants and without a shirt. He too thought of the date he had with Seto, and how he found himself wishing for another.

* * *

><p>In a different side of town, Ryou was sweaty and contently underneath Bakura, who was fast asleep. He tenderly stroked his lover's back, sighing quietly as Bakura stirred from his sleep, a deep purr swelling in the slumbering man's chest. Ryou let his head fall on the down-filled pillow, a very satisfied smile creeping on his post-coital bliss-filled face. Bakura shuffled slightly, tightening the embrace around Ryou's exhausted frame. The smiles on their respective asleep and conscious faces matched perfectly, and an onlooker to this scene would be touched by the serenity between two men finally seeing each other as more than business associates.<p>

Joey, Seto, and Ryou all smiled at their own ceilings each feeling that this night—this magical, _amazing_ night—had easily been the most spectacular any of the three men had felt in a long time. Each could feel young butterflies fluttering about inside himself.

The ones inside Joey were especially young, like chrysalises waiting to pop open. And as Joey and the rest of the city drifted into a deep sleep, little did _anyone_ know what the consequences of those pretty young insects coming out would have.

But tonight—just tonight—everyone rested, sleeping in the calm before the swarm.

**A/N: **I have not been able to write nearly as often as I would like. But **Butterflies** has recently found new blood, and I think the direction the plot is going in will definitely give a thrill. And who doesn't love a good thrill? After all, I write to entertain. I would appreciate it a lot if you guys would tell me wait you think...I'm a little nervous about whether or not it will be good. Some feedback would be AWESOME.


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